John Earnest "Johnny" Unruh

John Earnest Unruh (Johnny) 85, was born to Jacob J.C. and Susie (Nichols) Unruh on March 7, 1927 at Galva, Kansas. He passed away June 21, 2012 at Comanche County Hospital. When he was three weeks old his family moved from Galva to a farm south of Greensburg. On December 22, 1946 he married Elga Schmidt of Greensburg. They had eight children and shared the joys and sorrows of life for nearly forty years. Mother died December 10, 1986.
On October 2, 1988 he married Elsie Schmidt of Chickasha, Oklahoma. Elsie faithfully assisted Dad with the farming and ranching and lovingly cared for Dad throughout his illness. She holds a special place in the hearts of the family. Dad and Elsie were married nearly twenty-four years.
Dad had a friendly, outgoing personality and enjoyed visiting with people he met and he often invited whomever into the house for a meal. Dad's passion was buying and selling feeder cattle and he and his sons were pioneers in the fertilizer industry, among the first in the area to use and sell fertilizer. He also enjoyed selling machinery, establishing a Great Plains dealership on the farm. He enjoyed serving several terms on the board of Bethel Home in Montezuma, KS.
Dad was baptized December 31, 1939 in the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite by Minister Harvey Yost. He had a concern for his family and their spiritual welfare. Toward the end of his life the family noticed a gentleness of spirit that came over him. He wanted to make sure his house was in order and expressed his desire to go to his heavenly home.


He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife Elga; two brothers; Vernon and Milton; one grandson; Brett Unruh. Survivors are his wife Elsie; five sons and three daughters; John W. and wife ElVera of Haviland; Mike and wife Jan of Greensburg; Vicki and husband Merlynn Koehn of Dumas, AR; Linda and husband Wendell Schneider of Ithaca, MI; Roger and wife Gay Lyn of Wilmore; Randy and Jamie Cecil of Coldwater; Phillip and wife Angela, of Coldwater; Kristine Unruh-Jones, of Eudora; nineteen grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren. Brothers; Curtis and wife Joanne of Canton; Alton and wife Virginia and Don and wife Ilene of Greensburg. Sisters; Rose Marie Boehs, Fairview, OK; Sharon and husband Bill Sutton of Greensburg. Two sisters-in-law; Lorraine Unruh (Vernon) of Brookville, MS; and Dorothy (Milton) Unruh of Greensburg; and numerous other relatives and friends.

The family is most grateful to the staff at Comanche County Hospital and Southwind Hospice of Pratt for the kind and loving care he received during the end of his earthly journey. Memorials may be made to Comanche County Hospital and Southwind Hospice in care of Hatfield-Prusa Funeral Home, P.O. Box 417, Coldwater, KS 67029.

Funeral service is at 10:00 a.m., Monday, June 25, 2012, at the Bethel Mennonite Church in Greensburg, KS. Burial is in Bethel Memorial Gardens. Visitation with family present will be from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Saturday, at Hatfield-Prusa Funeral Home, Coldwater, KS and from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Sunday, at Bethel Mennonite Church, Greensburg, KS.